I read an article today (Thanskgiving Day) about Oprah and gratitude. I generally try to stay away from listing the million things that I should be thankful for on this third Thursday of November. Really, we're all thankful for pretty much the same things. However, the almighty Oprah told me today that "gratitude elevates your life to a higher frequency." Who am I to deny that wisdom?
In the article I read, Oprah told about the gratitude journal that she kept years ago. She mentioned that on August 12, 2004 in her journal she noted that she was thankful for very mundane things like "noticing how the light hits the tree leaves" and making the "perfect omelet." In honor of the once queen of daytime television, I have been thinking all day long about the smallest things in this world that I am grateful for. I have noticed these things today:
The way the World Book Ecyclopedias in my Mamaw's house smell exactly like being a kid.
The noise of tennis shoes on a gym floor.
Track #5 on Taylor Swift's "Red" album. Specifically the last verse. Teenage girl perfection.
Lemon pie.
Conversations with people that get it.
My inclination to call my mom numerous times a day just to ask what she's doing.
My mom being able to answer those phone calls each day.
The chill in the air when the sun goes down.
Going to sleep without setting an alarm.
Cody.
I could go on and on.
Oprah must be on to something. It's entirely too easy for me to get wrapped up in what could be improved upon, rather than remembering all that is right. Maybe it takes a day filled with good food and lots of family or the advice of a billionaire to remind us to be grateful. Regardless of what does the trick, it's always nice to make note of all the good.
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Monday, November 19, 2012
Excuses, Excuses
Recently I have been throwing a bit of a pity party. A few things haven't gone exactly as I hoped. Some work stuff, some me stuff, and some life stuff just hasn't worked out like I planned. Unfortunately, as a perpetual planner, bumps in the road frustrate me.
In the midst of my pity party, I started to narrow down exactly why things haven't been working out in my favor. Some of the stuff I have absolutely no control over, and that's okay. The older I get the more I accept that the world cannot always be controlled. The things that have bothered me the most are the ones that I simply haven't been willing to invest the time and effort in to ensure that they do go my way. And that's weird. Traditionally, I have never been a lazy person. I am generally always willing to work at something. I like competing. I like moving forward. I like being good at whatever it is I decide to do. Recently, I haven't been that way. It's like the more time that passes, the less I care. It's really weird. I have found myself constantly making excuses based on a hypothetical something in the future.
One of the most exhausting parts of being an adult is that life stops being planned for you. In high school, I was waiting to graduate. For me there was an obvious next step. College was spent trying to figure out what to do after college. I jumped the next obvious hurdle and found a job and it's like I've been coasting ever since. I could get a Master's. I could find another career in general. I could get married (I did by the way). I could have a kid (I didn't by the way). I could do all of these things. Or, I could go to work everyday and slide through life for the first time in forever. I'm afraid that's the option I chose.
Granted, I have recently decided on one of the above "could's" that I will actually make progress toward this Spring. However, that doesn't change the cloak of laziness and complacency that has hovered over me here lately. And the scariest most ridiculous part of this entire process has been the underlying reason for my laziness. I think I have been coasting recently because my husband hasn't been. I've been hoping that Cody's willingness to go out and try to make things happen in this world would allow me to not have to go out and make things happen. Who am I? And where did Katy Schrodt go?
Needless to say, I have started to screw my head on straight. I am making steps forward. I am accepting that there will always be unforeseen happenings to which I will adapt regardless of all of the other balls I'm juggling. And when I really get down on myself, I hop on Facebook and stalk all of the people my age that are still working on that bachelor's degree or living with Mom and Dad, and I breathe a little easier for a few minutes. So here's to people in this world that will always be a step behind. Without you, the rest of us would have to be a lot more productive, and that would mean I would not have experienced the first three seasons of "Big Bang Theory" or read all of those awesome books lately.
In the midst of my pity party, I started to narrow down exactly why things haven't been working out in my favor. Some of the stuff I have absolutely no control over, and that's okay. The older I get the more I accept that the world cannot always be controlled. The things that have bothered me the most are the ones that I simply haven't been willing to invest the time and effort in to ensure that they do go my way. And that's weird. Traditionally, I have never been a lazy person. I am generally always willing to work at something. I like competing. I like moving forward. I like being good at whatever it is I decide to do. Recently, I haven't been that way. It's like the more time that passes, the less I care. It's really weird. I have found myself constantly making excuses based on a hypothetical something in the future.
One of the most exhausting parts of being an adult is that life stops being planned for you. In high school, I was waiting to graduate. For me there was an obvious next step. College was spent trying to figure out what to do after college. I jumped the next obvious hurdle and found a job and it's like I've been coasting ever since. I could get a Master's. I could find another career in general. I could get married (I did by the way). I could have a kid (I didn't by the way). I could do all of these things. Or, I could go to work everyday and slide through life for the first time in forever. I'm afraid that's the option I chose.
Granted, I have recently decided on one of the above "could's" that I will actually make progress toward this Spring. However, that doesn't change the cloak of laziness and complacency that has hovered over me here lately. And the scariest most ridiculous part of this entire process has been the underlying reason for my laziness. I think I have been coasting recently because my husband hasn't been. I've been hoping that Cody's willingness to go out and try to make things happen in this world would allow me to not have to go out and make things happen. Who am I? And where did Katy Schrodt go?
Needless to say, I have started to screw my head on straight. I am making steps forward. I am accepting that there will always be unforeseen happenings to which I will adapt regardless of all of the other balls I'm juggling. And when I really get down on myself, I hop on Facebook and stalk all of the people my age that are still working on that bachelor's degree or living with Mom and Dad, and I breathe a little easier for a few minutes. So here's to people in this world that will always be a step behind. Without you, the rest of us would have to be a lot more productive, and that would mean I would not have experienced the first three seasons of "Big Bang Theory" or read all of those awesome books lately.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)